Spirits in the Mist
by mommy4thomas
Summary: What happens when a judgy little witch and a snarky vampire get trapped on the "other side" and find themselves in Forks, Washington? What happens after they witness the cruel break-up between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen? A story of friendship, love and finding your way home.
1. Prologue : Into the Light

**I do not own _Twilight_, nor _The Vampire Diaries_. This story is alternate universe, please bear that in mind as you read. **

The world as they knew it was crumbling around them, coming to an end. Two people stood holding hands. One was a witch and one was a vampire. They hated each other, but yet all they had was each other as a white light slowly crept towards them. They sky was black and the wind whipped their hair. It was an ominous sight. It was something neither of them had ever witnessed before. Knowing that this could be the end; that there would never be any going back, the witch turned to the vampire, "Will this hurt?"

"I don't kn—"was the answer as the white light suddenly flashed, blinding them and then they were put forth into the darkness.

When the wind died down, the light was gone, and they found themselves in another place. Neither of them were exactly sure where they were, but as they looked around the darkness, they could make out the sinister shape of trees and they could smell the dampness of the air. The vampire inhaled a breath and his brows furrowed. He pursed his lips and with a perplexed expression, his turned around, his eyes darting in different directions. The witch cocked her head to the side at his actions as she questioned him, "Damon, what is it?"

"Now's not the time for questions, Witchy." the vampire responded with a bluntness that would startle most people, yet she was unfazed by it. He yanked her hand, dragging her behind him as he followed the unmistakable over-sweet stench of a Cold One. She dug her heels into the muddy ground beneath them, causing him to come to an abrupt stop. He released her hand and spun around, shooting a glare her way.

"Look, if we are going to be stuck together, can you at least call me by my name? It's _Bonnie_, in case you've forgotten." She was annoyed and it showed in the tenor of her voice.

Damon just ignored her, turned back around then continued walking through the forest. Bonnie had no choice but to follow. After a while, he stopped abruptly, brought his index finger to his mouth and told her to "shush." She looked at him quizzically, then the sound of voices filled the quietness of the night.

"You… don't… want… me?" they heard in the darkness. They moved closer to the voices and stood hidden among the trees and shrubbery.

The girl's voice seemed to have a strength behind it, but Damon himself recognized the front she was putting forth. To him, the pain was clearly evident in her eyes, which he happened to notice only because his eyes held the same pain and torment for over a 100 years as he searched for a way to free the woman he had thought to love.

"No" the male voice said, cold and detached, as if the girl before him meant nothing to him.

It was the Cold One whose scent Damon had detected earlier. He had no idea how old this Cold One was; he appeared to be an eternal teenager, much like his own brother did. Unlike Stefan though, this guy was dressed more like an old man and carried himself much the same way.

"You're not good enough for me." He heard the child say.

It was then that the girl's eyes filled with tears. Damon snapped his head toward the Cold One's direction as the cruel words fell from his stony lips. The girl begged and pleaded with him. She professed her love and even offered up her soul. Yet, the child ignored her broken pleas, tossed everything she offered and walked away without a backward glance.

Damon's mouth formed into a snarl as he watched the boy run away at an inhuman speed. He would never deny that he himself had been malicious, cruel and indifferent to those around him throughout his long life; but he would never be the one to deny love when it was offered up on a silver platter…right there for the taking.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, shrugged his shoulders and decided on the spot that the guy had some serious issues. The young girl was simply beautiful and so full of life. She had an undeniable passion that resonated in her voice when she spoke. These were traits he admired, and he could not fathom anyone just walking away from a priceless gift like her. Especially when it was wrapped in such a pretty little package. He turned his head to Bonnie, to see tears flowing down her face.

"How could someone be so cruel?"

She had voiced aloud the very thing that was running through his mind. He thought it to be ironic she'd ask that with _him _around. But then again… who else did she have to talk to? They both glanced to one another when an earth-shattering scream filled the air.

"Edward!" echoed in the forest. The girl had fell to the floor in sobs, screaming repeatedly, begging for Edward's return.

"Come back!" she wailed desperately.

Damon growled lowly knowing damn well the fucker wasn't too far off and could hear her. Did he get off on her screams and cries, or what?

Bonnie run off towards the girl, kneeling down next to her. She wished with all her heart that she could comfort the girl, somehow. It was infuriating to know she couldn't; she and Damon were both dead, after all. Her sobs increased out of frustration as the sorrow she felt for the girl grew even stronger.

Damon came upon the two and nodded at Bonnie with sympathy in his eyes. He then looked down at the girl curled up into a ball on the forest floor. He kneeled beside her, taking note of how small she looked; her pale face stained with tears, her eyes shut tightly closed. It was obvious that she was completely traumatized by the loss of the one she loved. He had been there before, he knew this pain. He knew all it too well and at that moment he felt connected to her. He couldn't explain it as his chest tightened… there were just no words to express it. He licked his lip and sighed before he gently brushed her cheek with his forefinger.

Her eyes shot wide open when he touched her, staring straight ahead as if she was looking directly at him. Her chocolate brown eyes widened and he could hear her heart flutter. _How the hell did she feel that? _he thought. Bonnie and him were both dead. Ghosts. There was just no way she should have felt that.

"We have to help her, Damon!" Bonnie said desperately. Empathy and compassion were written across her features, reminiscent in the tenor of her voice. It wasn't like they had anything better to do with their time, so he just nodded in reply as his eyes flickered over the girl's face.


	2. Chapter 1: Life Goes On

**_ do not own Twilight or the Vampire Diaries. I just enjoy writing about the characters. This chapter is in Bella Swan's POV._**

**A month later….**

Bella sat in her rocking chair, staring out into space. All she could see and hear was Edward's last words, "_You're not good enough for me, Bella…. I don't want you to come with me….It will be as if I never existed_." The words kept playing in her head over and over again, like a broken record. The image of Edward's cold golden eyes boring into hers and the frozen emotionless expression he wore on his face that day haunted her. She gently rocked the chair, losing herself into her reverie. It felt as if Edward had not only broken her heart, but shattered her soul. She had given him her love so completely, even offering him her soul. Yet, it wasn't good enough for him. He discarded her like trash and simply walked away.

She didn't know how long it had been since Edward left her; she didn't even know how she got home that day. All she could remember, aside from the break up was something brushing her cheek and how it had made a small spark travel through her. She felt it had to be real, rather than her imagination. She shook her head at the notion and let reality settle in. The woods were void of anything around her at the moment it happened, she reasoned. There were no people, no animals. She quickly thought that perhaps, it was a breeze that caused it. She stopped rocking her chair and stiffened as it dawned upon her that there was no wind that night. She sat there in disbelief as she realized there _was _something there. She had felt it and not just physically, either. Something had touched not only her cheek that night, but her very soul. As she sat there, she noted that at times, she could feel a presence about and even though it unnerved her, it felt as if it offered her a strength to live; to endure the pain and the sorrow of Edward's departure.

Bella quickly shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She stood up and stretched as she made her way over to the desk. She smiled as she looked at the tray sitting there. Her favorite strawberry Pop-Tarts and a glass of juice were laid upon the desk. She smiled again as a warmth run through her at her father's thoughtfulness. He was never one to hover, but the small things he did for her truly showed that he cared. She picked up the first Pop-Tart and eyed the second one for a moment, then burst into a giggle. A small smiley face had been carved into it, with the red jelly pushed through. It had been the first true smile and giggle that came out of her in over a month. All she had known was sadness. Though it felt strange to laugh, at the same time it felt good. She'd have to remember to thank Charlie later for that. Maybe now was the time for her to finally start moving on.

She felt the presence again, like someone was standing behind her. She felt the lightest touch on her shoulder, and once again the tingles she felt that night Edward left her went through her body. Startled by it, she nearly choked on the last bite of her Pop-Tart and spun around the room, furiously looking at every nook and cranny, hoping to spot something that wasn't supposed to be there. She found nothing and leaned onto the desk for support, catching her breath. She waited a few minutes to let her heart rate and breathing return to normal before she shrugged off the incident, then headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

The next couple of weeks went by in a blur as a monotonous routine set in for Bella. She would wake up, eat the Pop-Tarts that she found awaiting for her each day, go to school, come home do her homework, cook dinner and go to bed. She kept to herself, she didn't speak to anyone unless they spoke to her first. She felt alone in the world with Edward and his family gone. But yet, she could never totally shake the feeling that she wasn't alone. She couldn't prove her theory, nor could she exactly ask anyone else if they felt some sort of vibe in the air or an unseen entity.

One day, she sat in her rocking chair, thinking back on the last few weeks. Sleep had not come easily to her, and when it did, it was filled with nightmares of Edward's leaving, or she would dream of his brother, Jasper and the feral look in his eyes as he lunged to attack her at her eighteenth birthday party. "Who would have ever thought a simple paper cut and a smidgen of blood could drastically change your life?" she pondered out loud with a sigh.

She recalled how her dreams changed over time. At first they were dreams of her in another place and time. The book "Emma" came to mind as she thought of it. She remembered the dreams of herself walking along a vast property in the country, with a big white house looming in the distance. She smiled as she thought of the dream where she was walking along a river, shaded by the trees. She could hear the sounds of the waterfalls up ahead and if she was truthful, she would fully admit that she felt at peace when she had those dreams.

As the weeks progressed, her dreams took place in present day, and she often found herself walking amongst a small town that could be your typical 'Main Street, USA.' She loved the nostalgic feeling of it and often wondered if such a place truly existed. She had also started dreaming of a dark haired man. He was quite handsome and had light blue eyes that contrasted sharply with the darkness of his hair. He always wore black, and when she had her first dream of the man, she didn't quite know what to make of him. He was friendly enough, but there was also a darkness about him that intimidated her. She had the distinct impression that he could be dangerous. Even so, something about him felt familiar to her.

The man in her dreams was nameless, but it seemed as if she knew him better than anyone she had encountered in her real life. And at times, she felt that he knew her better than anyone else ever did. His snarky quips made her laugh and she loved the way he would smirk if he found something amusing, but then again… he wore the same smirk on his face as he described in detail how Edward Cullen should be tortured and torn apart piece by piece once she shared her story with him. She remembered waking up from that dream somewhat disturbed by what her subconscious mind at conjured up. Two things then became glaringly aware to her; the first thing was that she felt some small amount of glee at the idea of Edward being brutally tortured and ripped apart. The second thing that came to mind scared her. She was falling for a man who was a figment of her subconscious.

She sighed, putting aside the memories of her dreams as she grabbed her purse. It was too late to start on dinner for herself and Charlie, so she made her way downstairs and out to her truck, headed towards the local diner to get some take out. One again, she felt the presence in the truck as tingles travelled down the right side of her body. The radio was on a classical station, but it suddenly tuned to a rock station and "Enter Sandman" started blaring out, the volume turned up. She was so startled and could barely keep control of the truck, but the steering wheel tightened under her hands as an unseen force took control of it, keeping it on the road and preventing any accidents.

Bella's heart accelerated as she screamed. "What the fuck?" then flew out of her mouth and she gasped at her own swearing. She felt a squeeze alongside her leg, as if it was offering reassurance but it surprised her and she yelped. She inhaled a deep breath as the tingling sensation increased, and the somehow, it calmed her. She slowly exhaled as she calmed down, closing her eyes and reveling in the touch. It was then that she knew for certain that she was undeniably not alone. The thought rattled her, but her rational side quickly reasoned that if whoever or whatever it was had wanted to hurt her, it would have already done so.

She firmly gripped the wheel and concentrated on the road ahead of her. Once she reached the diner, she sat in her truck running what just happened through her mind. It was an unreal experience; but as a girl that once run with vampires, she could certainly handle an unnamed entity. She finally got out of the truck, walked into the diner, placed her order and waited on it.

Once she was outside, she was approached by two men. One of them walked behind her and the other stood in front of her. She was quickly boxed in, and as the man in front of her stepped closer, she could feel her heart pounding out of fright. Her eyes widened when she felt something warm clasping her hand, offering silent, unseen support. She took a deep breath and bravely asked the menacing looking man in front of her, "What do you want?"

He smiled, showcasing his decayed crooked teeth and waved a knife in front of her, its blade shining in the moonlight. "Hmm…" he said, "You're a pretty young thing, sugar. I'm pretty sure you'd know what I'd want…" His voice was gruff and low. Her blood then ran cold as he leaned closer to her, the smell of alcohol washing over her breath.

The voice behind her spoke up in a warning tone, "Oh come on, Jerry! She's not part of the deal! We just wanted money and food!"

Jerry chuckled dryly as he replied "But wouldn't she be a sweet bonus?" His smile grew wider as his eyes glinted in the moonlight, making him look more sinister. Bella stood there frozen out of fear as her eyes darted around the parking lot. There was no one nearby, she couldn't scream for help. The man stepped closer to her and that frightened her even more, so she screamed and dropped the bag of food.

Two things happened next; she heard a snap and Jerry fell to her feet, dead. Before she knew it, she was being tugged towards her truck. When she glanced back on the scene, she saw that the other man who had half-heartedly defended her lay on the ground. She assumed he was dead, too.

She frantically climbed into the truck and started it. She let the engine rev for a minute, but was suddenly tugged once again on her right side, being pulled towards the middle of the seat. She felt a warmth wrap around her shoulders as if to comfort her. On her left side, she felt a familiar tingle go up her leg as she watched the door slam shut on its own. She closed her eyes in consternation as she heard the sound of the truck's tires peel out of the parking lot. Since when do _ghosts_ drive? She thought.

Bella's heart was pounding, her breathing labored and her ears were ringing. She felt as if her world happened to be spinning. She was pretty sure she was about to have an anxiety attack. She shook her head to calm down and clear her thoughts.

By the time the truck was parked in front of the house, she had calmed down enough and marched straight to her room. She could still feel the presence of another entity with her.

"Ok!" she shouted as she slammed her purse down on the desk. "I know you've been here watching me for the last few weeks and believe me, I appreciate the fact you just saved my ass back there… but what in the hell are you!?" she yelled. She waited a beat for an answer, or some kind of sign and when she got nothing, she slowly slid onto the floor and sat down, her back against the foot of the bed. She cradled her face within her hands and sighed. "Who are you?" she asked in barely a whisper.

She heard two thuds hit the floor and jerked her head to the sound. On the floor were two books of hers that had fallen from the bookshelf. She eyed them warily, chewing on her bottom lip nervously as she glanced around the room. She then run a hand through her hair and stood up. She slowly walked to the two books and stooped down to get a better look. She read the titles, "_Interview with a Vampire_." she read out loud then looked to the other one, "_Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_." She smiled slightly and looked around the room, "So are you telling me that I have a wizard and a vampire haunting me?" she asked with a tad of amusement to her voice.


	3. Chapter 2: Games

**I do not own _Twilight_ or _The Vampire Diaries_**

**Damon &amp; Bonnie's POV**

"So are you telling me that I have a wizard and a vampire haunting me?" Damon and Bonnie both heard Bella say. He looked over to Bonnie with a mischievous smirk as he stood near the bookcase.

Bonnie threw her hands up in the air out of exasperation, "_Harry Potter_? Really, Damon?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, eying Bella as she scurried across the room. He then tilted his head to the side to get a good look at her ass while she bent over reaching for something on the floor of the closet. Bonnie pursed her lips, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Pig!" she muttered under her breath.

Damon peered over to her, tapped his ear and smiled sardonically, "I heard that, Witchy!"

Her eyes glowed with annoyance as she retorted smartly back, "You were _supposed_ to! And for the record, the name is _Bonnie_! Just how many times do I have to tell you that?"

Damon chuckled as he turned back to Bella's figure. She had pulled an old Scrabble game from the closet and tossed it on the bed. He exchanged a quizzical glance with the witch, then they both looked to the board game and finally, both sets of eyes rested on the human girl.

Bella calmly took out the game board from it's box and laid it out on the bed. She grabbed the baggie of letter tiles, turned it upside down and let them spill out next to the board. She then inhaled a deep breath and spoke, "Okay! This is what we are going to do! Since you have made it so perfectly clear that you can move shit around, we're going to play a game… I ask you a question and you spell it out with the letter tiles. Got it? Spell out yes or no."

Damon chuckled at her as she stood with her hands on her hips, her face a mask of both determination and curiosity. _This could be fun_, he thought. He turned towards Bonnie as she moved forward and tentatively picked up the letters to spell out the word 'yes.' She glanced at Damon, who nodded for her to go ahead. Bonnie then slowly set down the three tiles one by one to make the word.

Bella's eyes flicked away from the board and nervously blew out a breath and paced the alongside the bed. After a few moments she cleared her throat to speak, "Who are you?" Bonnie proceeded to gather the appropriate letters to spell out her name on the board and once she did, Bella read it out loud inaudibly, then timidly looked around the room. Her eyebrows furrowed as she seemed to think for a minute before she spoke once again. "Wh-Who's the other one?" she asked rather shyly.

Bonnie arched her eyebrows as she peered over to Damon and gestured to the board. "Get your ass over here and tell the poor girl your name!" she ordered.

He smirked while he sauntered over. He reached out, grabbing the letter tiles at vamp speed, then slowly placed the letters down one at a time. Bella read each letter out loud as it was laid down. "L…E…S…T…A…T…" She pursed her lips and looked up, "No, I don't think so…try that again." They both noted how her lips twitched, fighting back a smile.

Damon grabbed some more letters and slowly spelled out a word. Bella once again called them out as they were placed. "D…R…A…C…U…L…A…" Bella's lips twitched for a second time and she just could not hold back a smile. She also let out a small giggle, "Just please tell me your name! Is that too much to ask for?" she asked in a somewhat chiding tone. Bonnie rolled her eyes and huffed.

His smirk had grew into a grin as he grabbed more tiles to spell out another fictional vampire. He laid out S, P, I, K and E.

"Spike," Bella read the name aloud and snorted, "I get it…You must be the vamp, but I highly doubt you're as bad ass like the ones you've mentioned." Her voice was teasing, almost mocking; but yet, it also held a hint of irritation. She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Come on now, Mr. Ghost! Give me your _real_ name! That is unless you're too _scared_…" she taunted.

Bonnie giggled, "Oh, I like her!" she said with a laugh as she pointed to Bella. Damon scowled at her, then spelled out his name on the board. There was a brief moment of silence, before Bella reacted to it.

"Damon," she said quietly and cocked her head as if to ponder on it. She smiled slyly, "It sounds an awful like Demon…"

Bonnie sniggered and muttered under her breath, "Well if the shoe fits…" The vampire then glared at her and let out a low growl. Bonnie giggled once more as she looked from Damon to Bella. She smiled at the girl's jovial expression.

Damon's gaze followed Bonnie's, and he too noticed the look of amusement she wore on her face. A twinge of contentment filled him as he realized that he had played a part in bringing her a moment of joy. The feeling settled in his chest, leaving him slightly uncomfortable. He was developing an attachment to the girl, and seeing her smile and giggle as she just did made his fondness for her grow. He shook himself of the feeling; it just wouldn't do to get very attached to her. He had a girl waiting back home in Mystic Falls, after all. He and Bonnie just had to figure out how to get out of this world they were in and join the land of the living. Then, he could see his brother and the love of his life. He inhaled deeply as her name echoed through his mind, _Elena, Elena, Elena._

While the thought of Elena flashed through his mind, he still could not tear his eyes away from the beautiful brunette in front of him. The sorrow and heart break that she had gone through in these last few weeks brought him back to a time when he suffered his own at the loss of his first love, Katherine. He understood the pain she was in, he understood as he watched her slowly creep into a cationic state, detaching herself from everyone and everything around her. Even her father's half-hearted attempts at bringing her out of the shape she was in were met with a blank gaze. The only time she would actually speak was when she had nightmares and then she would only scream out the name of the bastard that cruelly left her in the woods.

After a few nights of _that _nonsense, Damon would enter her dreams, manipulating them so that they were peaceful and at some point, he couldn't resist not placing himself within her dream world. He was so desperate for conversation and he unexplainably felt drawn to the girl… he wanted to know her. Even though she was broken, he saw a strength in those dark chocolate eyes of hers that went completely unnoticed by others. He could not deny that the glaring contrast of her fragility and inner strength is what intrigued him.

He never revealed himself, of course and he knew that she thought the dreams were a figment of her subconscious. He had unintentionally given her an outlet to talk about the things she couldn't face in reality. She had told him about her childhood, her mother's harebrained ideas and how often they moved from place to place. She told him how she had given up up her own happiness in place of her mother's when she moved to Forks, a place she hated. It was here that she found herself a caretaker to her father; cleaning his house, cooking his meals and being the dutiful daughter. Damon thought her to be the most selfless person he had ever encountered in his life, both as a human and of the undead.

When she spoke of meeting Edward and his family, he could feel a fury start to simmer in his veins as she told him how the family of Cold Ones befriended her. They had took her in as one of their own, even. By the time he had all the information regarding her relationship with the family of vultures, the fury was rolling boil. It made them abandoning her the way they did all the more heartless and cruel.

The words Edward spoke to her that night played in his head as he spouted off that the twat should be ripped apart. He hid his anger behind a half-hearted smirk, a signature move of his that had become a second nature to him and he often hid behind it to mask whatever emotion he was hiding. He simply did not believe in showing emotion unless it was absolutely necessary. Anger and betrayal were the only emotions he had really ever allowed himself to feel during most of his existence. He blamed Katherine for that… for the way she had toyed with him, then merely discarded him when she was done with him. Like Bella with Edward, he had loved fully and unconditionally, offering himself body, mind and soul on a silver platter; only to be slapped with the cold, hard sting of betrayal and abandonment in the end. He allowed the dark feelings to overtake him as he began his life as a vampire.

If it had not been for Elena, he would still be drowning in that anger and betrayal, seeking answers from a Bourbon bottle or taking his anger out in violent ways, often ending with blood splattered on his hands. Elena had been his light in the dark world he had made for himself. She had given him the gift of seeing that he was a man that deserved love. He knew that she loved him and he loved her, but he could never set aside the feeling that her love came with conditions.

As his thoughts tumbled around inside his head, he wondered briefly if she felt the true, unwavering love that he felt for her. Sometimes, it seemed to him that she always had one foot out the door, ready to run in case he totally messed things up. He didn't doubt her love for him… he doubted the strength of it. Adding to the doubts was the fact that he knew a part of her would always love his brother; who was her first love.

He was broken from his thoughts as he heard Bella speak in a curious tone. "So Bonnie, what exactly are you? I can't picture you in glasses and a striped tie, all set for your first day at Hogwarts…" she teased good-naturedly as she smiled warmly.

Her smile touched something in Damon's heart and he hoped that maybe that night would be the beginning of the end to her sorrow. He would never want someone to end up as he did. He knew the sorrow would lead to anger and he was an expert on where that road travelled…he did not want that for the innocent girl before him. He caught Bonnie looking at him oddly, then he shrugged and snapped at her, "What?"

She shook her head and mumbled, "Nothing." as she grabbed some letter tiles to spell out 'witch' for Bella. The truth of the matter was that she had seen how Damon looked at the girl and was completely perplexed by it. For once, she had seen the mask slip off his face and saw in his eyes the concern, worry and affection he felt for the girl in front of them. She could sense his inner conflict about it, as well. She simply decided not to prod him any further on it, at least not then. She didn't need Damon spouting off any snarky remarks. She wasn't in the mood to bear with them and if they were to be stuck together for an infinite amount of time, she would have to learn to pick and choose her battles. She sighed as she slowly placed the tiles down.

"Witch." Bella read out loud and cocked her head to the side in thought. "Are you more like _Charmed_ or more like _Harry Potter_?" she asked. Bonnie rolled her eyes as Damon's gaze remained on the human girl, watching her intently. Bonnie grabbed some letter tiles and spelled out the words needed to answer the question.

The rest of the night went like this; Bella asking questions and them answering with the letter tiles. They were both astounded by the girl's fascination with the two of them and by the fact that she never once showed any ounce of fear or nervousness. _Most humans would have made a beeline for the door by now_, he thought. _Why isn't she? _Was it because she couldn't see them to get the full visual or was it because she just accepted the supernatural world as easily as a socialite maxes out her credit card at Niemen's? Damon decided that it was probably a bit of both.

It was the early hours of the morning before they were done swapping stories. They had given her a brief history of their lives in Mystic Falls, telling her stories of vampires, doppelgangers, werewolves, hybrids and travelers. They told her the story of two brothers who fell in love with the same woman, and for the first time since she knew him, Bonnie heard his side of the story about the whole affair.

Damon also spoke about the night he was changed in detail, spelling out the words at vampire speed with the letter tiles. He held their rapt attention and when he was done, the room fell silent. Bella sat on the bed hugging her legs to her as she rested her head upon her knees. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "Oh, Damon…" she whispered sympathetically.

He glanced to Bonnie, whose own eyes glistened with tears. "I never knew it was Stefan who made you change." she said in a voice full with empathy. "I understand why you were so angry…"

He shook his head, "Knock it off, Witchy. I'm not worth any tears. You and I both know that."

Her eyes trailed over to Bella, who was putting the tiles in a bag, silently sobbing as tears rolled down her cheeks, "She thinks otherwise."

Damon shrugged, brushing off the comment. They watched her put away the board and grab some clothes from the closet. "I am going to shower and get ready for school." she announced.

The vampire and the witch sat down next to each other on the floor in a comfortable silence before Bonnie spoke, "She's taking all this a little too well…"

He chuckled, "She's already taken Supernatural 101 with the Cold Ones. We just covered the first semester of 102. There's a lot more to tell."

They had followed her to school that day in the truck, making sure she got there alright after being up all night. Damon fought the urge to rip apart a blond girl named Lauren, who kept bugging Bella about Edward leaving and telling her how plain and ugly she was. _Oh, she is far prettier than you will ever be_ _sweetheart_, he thought. The bitchy little blond had made her snide comments and walked off haughtily, her nose in the air. He couldn't help himself as he blurred to her and stuck his foot in front of her, causing her to land face down on the floor. He smirked maliciously when she stood up with a bloody nose.

Bonnie shot him a glare as he simply grinned. "I could have done much worse, as you know."

They saw Bella glancing around, as if looking for someone. "Thank you." She whispered before she ducked her head to hide her smile.


	4. Chapter 3: Torn In Two

_**Friendly reminder that I don't own any characters, just the plot. **_

Damon sat in the rocking chair while Bonnie practiced her magic with a candle. He would be damn near impressed if she actually got it to light up. He was thinking of things that had happened over the last few weeks.

Time almost seemed to stand still, each day slowly dragging into the next. Sometimes, he felt as if he was in purgatory as he watched life moving on from the other side. It was certainly sheer hell being a vampire and not being able to have one single drop of blood. Some days all his mind could think of was blood, sex and bourbon. Then there were days when all he thought about was Elena and how much he wanted to get back home to her.

He gently rocked the chair back and forth as he heard the wind howling in the distance. Another storm was coming. Nothing unusual for Forks. He wondered how Bella could stand the dreary, depressing town. How could she stand the pitter patter of constant rain on the roof and the ever-present wetness?

Bella…

His thoughts froze on the name and he thought that because of her, the dreary, sunless days were made better. She brought sunshine to his and Bonnie's lonely existence and it made the passing weeks less painful. The weeks turned into months and not much had changed from that first night.

She still could not see or hear them, but they'd taken to communicating with paper and pencil, or Microsoft Word. It was quicker and easier than using the Scrabble tiles. She was still sad, but the twinkle in her eye seemed to get brighter with each passing day. Her laughter became more frequent and she seemed to embrace life in a way that he would have never expected a human to do. She found it a thrill being on her own, without the douchebag of an ex watching her every move.

He knew he was part of the reason why, and somehow that little fact made him glad. It wasn't an emotion he was familiar with. His whole life before being trapped on the other side was a supernatural soap opera of vampires, doppelgangers, witches and travelers. He was never the hero, nor was he ever exactly the villain. At least, he never thought so. He was sure Witchy would disagree on that, though.

He had lived through one of the most difficult times in his life as he watched his brother fall in love with Elena. It was what her friends called an 'epic' love story. The only thing he'd found epic in regards to it was the fact that in the end, it was _him_ that she chose and who she wanted forever with. Yes, he was going to be a smug bastard for the rest of eternity about it. He fought for the girl and won! He finally got the love he had always wanted, didn't he?

He sighed heavily as he realized that it wasn't exactly like he wanted. The doubt monkey sat on his shoulder as he toyed with the idea that if she had truly wanted forever with him, she would have chosen him to begin with and to hell with his baby brother.

He shook the thoughts off as he eyed Bonnie flipping through a book and nibbling on her lip. She was an indomitable force and smart. She would be the one who would get them back home. He was sure of it. With Bella helping the two of them acquire the things they needed and with her offering her encouragement and support, it made him feel that anything was possible. The Mission Impossible theme briefly went through his mind and he smirked. Normally, he would have felt like an idiot at such a thought, but somehow the little brunette had him finding the simplest things amusing. He found _her_ amusing.

He found her to be the most interesting human he had ever met. Perhaps even more so than Elena had been. Bella was clumsy as hell, but at the same time, could carry herself in such a graceful way that it would put highly trained ballerinas to shame. She had a laugh that was like music and a smile that could put anyone in a good mood. He should know. She'd often yank him out of a grumpy state with her quick wit or he'd get pleasure in watching her stand in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in hand singing along to whatever music would be playing on the radio.

He chuckled as he remembered the one time she was shaking her ass to Aerosmith's _Rag Doll_ and bopping her head as she sang loudly into the brush, "I'm movin' on… I'm movin' on, Get ready for the big time!"

He and Bonnie had stood in the doorway after a trip to the library and the poor witch was shocked at the sight. He on the other hand, found it rather hot.

He smirked as he recalled turning the music up on the CD player and she nearly jumped ten feet in the air from fright. She knew it was him and had gotten a good tongue lashing for it. It had been one of the first times she called him an ass.

His response had been to grab a pencil and paper and write "Hot!" on it. He then held it up for her to see. When she did, she immediately turned ten shades of red and then promptly tripped. Bonnie had shot him a glare while he stood there and snorted.

He picked up one of her Anne Rice books and thumbed through it. He didn't get what was so special about the main character, Lestat. He was a blond that tied his hair back in a ribbon, for crying out loud! When he voiced out loud his complaints, Bella had him read the entire Vampire Chronicles series. No wonder the girl ended up falling in love with a vampire….While the books painted a very realistic picture of life as a vampire, he couldn't help but think it was highly romanticized. But like Lestat, he had that same yearning to be loved, to be accepted and live life to its fullest.

He supposed that is all Bella had wanted, as well. She thought she had found it with the Cold One, and he cruelly ripped it from her and very nearly destroyed the girl. He often wondered what state she'd be in if he and Bonnie had not come into her life…

She had eventually given full disclosure to them about her life and her time with Edward. The information wasn't new to Damon, as he had already heard it in her dreams. But with each piece of her life she shared, Bonnie became more and more empathetic towards her, grew to respect and admire her for her strength, her wisdom, and her easy acceptance of two ghosts that had suddenly come into her life. She too, was becoming attached to the girl.

Damon had continued to enter her dreams, long after she had stopped screaming for Edward. She had repeatedly asked him his name and he continued to dance around the question.

Finally, one night he asked her, "What name would you give me?" He was taken aback as she smiled broadly, the sun shine capturing the twinkle in her eye.

"There's this obnoxious, pain in the ass of a vampire ghost that makes me pop tarts and carves bloody-looking smiley faces onto them…"

She then giggled as she looked at him, "His name is Damon. So… how about that?"

Her expression had caught him off guard and before he could stop himself he blurted out, "An obnoxious, pain in the ass!?"

She laughed again as she smiled brightly, "Yes, a _pain in the ass_! But…"

She sighed, "He is one of the best friends I ever had. He's a lot like you, actually. Snarky, easy to talk to, compassionate. He's been through so much and yet, he still has hope." She bit her lip and looked at him wistfully. "He is in love with a girl named Elena and he wants to get home to her. That determination, the hope he has inspires me."

He quirked his eyebrow in confusion, "How so?"

She let an exuberant breath, "Like I said, his determination inspires me… to go on with my life, to take Edward's words to heart and let it be as if he never existed. The love that he has for Elena gives me hope that just maybe, there is someone out there for me. That someday, I will finally find someone that truly loves me and will fight for that love. A man that will stand by my side, no matter what. Just like Damon has done for Elena. To hear their story proves to me real love exists and that it's out there…"

She then looked down at the ground mumbling, "Oh, how I wish you were real."

He stepped forward and gently gripped her chin in his hand, lifting her face towards him. He noticed her watery eyes and it sent a sharp pain into his chest. He clamped down his emotions as he looked down on her. Gripping her chin firmly, he asked, "What do you mean, you wish I was real?" He inhaled a sharp breath before adding, "I am right here!"

"Yes! You are! Right here in my head!" She wiggled out of his grasp and gestured around the falls, "I know this is a dream!" I-I don't know how I conjured you up, or why…but these last few weeks have been some of the best of my life! I actually look forward to going to sleep because I know I will see you then…" Tears slowly trickled down her cheek as she glanced up at him.

"The more I dream about you, the more I see that I keep putting aspects of Damon's personality there. I was falling for you… someone inside my head." She had then chuckled humorously, "But I'm falling in love with _him_. Someone I can never have! Even though you are a figment of my imagination, you have given me a chance to see my life through someone else's eyes. You have given me a chance to make amends with my past, helped me deal with my insecurities, and face my darkest fears. You made me see myself more clearly. If you were real… I would have someone when Damon and Bonnie figure how out to get back to their home. I won't be alone."

Damon was taken aback by her admission. His heart had clenched tightly in his chest at her blatant honesty and he felt a smidgen of guilt that she didn't know she was indeed talking to the one she had fallen for. He realized he cared deeply for the girl before him, and the fact that he would eventually leave her weighed heavy in his heart.

He could not understand what drew her to him in such a way. She knew his history, his violent past, and she knew what an ass he could be at times. He watched her face as she stared out onto the falls, which happened to be one of her favorite places in the dreams he conjured up for her.

He could not bear to hurt her because she had been hurt enough. However, he loved Elena. He couldn't change that little fact. His conscience told him Bella could be an option if he truly wanted her, but he quickly squashed the idea.

_She would love you unconditionally…_

He stubbornly shook the thought out of his head. No, his heart belonged to Elena Gilbert and he had fought so long for her, and she finally chose him. He could not give that up. He owed it to her to find his way back to her. Yet, the sight of Bella weeping before him tugged at something deep inside and he could not bear the thought of leaving her behind.

He blew out a breath before he went to her and embraced her, "I promise you that you will never be alone, Bella."

He meant what he said. Even if he had to come to Forks after he returned to his life and what he left behind in Mystic Falls, he would never allow her to be alone.

She held onto him for dear life as she spoke softly, "Damon," she said wistfully, "Do you think someone like you would ever love someone like me?"

He had unwound his arms from her and stepped back, then cupped her face within his hands, "They would be an idiot if they didn't." He smirked down at the girl as she let out a giggle.

"An idiot, huh?" She shook her head, "You sure have a way with words, you know?"

"Of course I do!" he replied with a touch of cockiness.

He then inhaled a deep breath, knowing that he had to put an end to the dreams. Her thoughts; her honesty about her feelings were getting to him. They were festering within him and he knew he could never return them. But he could never be cruel and just up and walk away as her dick of an ex did. She deserved a proper goodbye to her dream Damon and a promise that she'd never be alone. Her friendship meant something and he owed her at least that much. With that in mind he met her gaze and spoke.

"This might be the last time you see me…" he said bluntly and then gently gripped her shoulders, "But you promise me something, okay? If life gets too much when your friends leave you… you get your cute little ass in that god awful truck and go find them! You understand me?!"

"He will be with Elena-" she begun to protest and he cut her off.

"I don't care!" he snipped at her. "You go to your friends. _Promise_ me!"

"Damon!" she protested again.

"You promise me, Bella."

With a sigh, she had simply nodded her head and he took it as a silent vow and kissed her on the forehead. He then manipulated her dream to peaceful darkness and it was the last time he entered her head.

* * *

He was broken out of his reverie as Bonnie called to him. He cast her a sideways glance and gestured for her to speak.

"The candle flickered!" she spoke in excitement.

Damon looked around Bella's room at the assortment of items they had acquired for Bonnie to try and regain her magic. Thanks to the internet and a credit card left behind by Edward, some things were easier to come by. Bella would often sneak the packages in for them, to avoid any questioning from her father. Sometimes, they took care of it themselves if they weren't with her.

They also used the internet and the local library to seek information on witchcraft and spells. What Bonnie really needed was her Grimoire, but there no way of getting it. The two of them had had many discussions trying to figure out the reason they were sent here.

Bonnie thought it had something to do with the witches on the other side, or maybe the Universe was at work. Damon just scoffed at the notion. "Why in the world would the universe send us to a town with nothing but moss and rain?"

Bonnie's simple answer had been, "Bella."

The answer was logical; he couldn't deny that fact, but what exactly was their role to be in her life?

"So you made the candle flicker? Is this the part where we jump up and down, squeal with joy and celebrate?" he sarcastically questioned.

The witch glowered at him, "It's a start, Damon! It's hope, in case you don't actually recognize it!"

He had simply rolled his eyes as Bella walked into her room, tossed her backpack on the bed and sighed dejectedly.

"Tomorrow will be a year since I moved to Forks."

Damon looked over at Bonnie with a raised eyebrow, but her gaze remained fixed on Bella. She was concerned for her new friend. The room then filled with silence before Damon huffed and pulled up Word on the computer. He typed "And what has you all depressed? Did you finally realize you've read your precious _Wuthering Heights_ far too many times?"

"Really, Damon?" Bella spout out.

He typed again, "What makes you so sure it's me and not Witchy?"

"One, Bonnie wouldn't make fun of my books and two, you called her _Witchy_." Bella answered in a derisive tone. "You ****are**** a dumbass, aren't you?"

He smirked proudly as Bonnie rolled her eyes, "You influence her too much, you know."

He shrugged her off and went back to the keyboard. "Tell us." he typed.

Bella huffed, "Are you going to keep your stupid and smart ass comments to yourself?" She arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

A minute passed before she sharply asked, "Yes or no?" She kept her eyes on the screen and when nothing new appeared, she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Damon?" she prompted.

He rolled his eyes and typed in a "yes."

Bella then told them why she was so upset. The next day happened to be the one year anniversary of her meeting Edward.

"Don't say a word, Damon Salvatore!" Bonnie warned, before he could type some snarky reply. She knew he cared more for the girl than what he let on and she knew he used his sarcasm to cover up how he felt about things. It was a defense mechanism, but he would often use it to diffuse a situation, as well. As much as she was sure Bella would laugh, she knew that the girl needed more than some witty comment. With that in mind, she strolled over to the computer. Sighing heavily, she had typed, "You need closure."

Bella half chuckled, "Closure? Fat chance of that since they left town!" She threw her hands in the air and got up to look out the window.

Damon put his hands on her shoulders and felt that familiar tingle run through him whenever he touched her. He briefly closed his eyes as Bella slowly begun to relax.

"Witchy, ask her if she and Eddie had a favorite place."

Bonnie cocked her head to the side in question.

"Just trust me."

She nodded and begun typing.

At the sound of the keys being hit, Bella turned around towards it and then walked right through Damon to read the screen. He froze as if he had been hit by lightning and something within him felt as if someone had lit a fuse, sending a warmth through him.

Bella froze as well, turning back towards the window where he stood. "What was that?" she whispered. She shook her head and walked over to the computer to read what Bonnie had typed.

Bonnie sat staring at Damon while Bella read the words she had typed. She took in his confused expression while his gaze was fixed on the brunette girl reading the screen.

"You're falling for her." she bluntly stated.

He didn't answer as he simply looked over to her and chewed on his lip.

A few minutes passed before Bella blurted out, "That _stupid_ meadow…." in answer to their question.

Damon's eyes furrowed as he looked upon Bella, then to Bonnie. The witch met his eyes with her own quizzical gaze.

"A meadow?" she questioned.

Bella had went on to tell them about the meadow that Edward frequently took her to and how beautiful it was. It was the place he had revealed his true self, confessed to being in love with her and it was the place of their first kiss.

"So he takes her to a meadow because he had a case of the feels? What kind of guy does that?" Damon pondered out loud.

"As opposed to what?" Bonnie asked with her eyebrow arched, "Taking her to bed?"

He rolled his eyes, "Well, that's better than going all of _Anne of Green Gables_ and taking her to a meadow with purple flowers! I bet he even recited Shakespeare, or some shit like that."

She blew out a breath in annoyance and went back to typing at the keyboard. From there, they established that Bella wasn't exactly sure how to get to the meadow. She knew where the hiking trails started, but the forest was so dense and there was no actual path to lead them to it. She openly admitted that Edward would often carry her because she was clumsy.

Damon had scoffed at that, "What a dick! How many ways did he make her so completely dependent on him? Could he not as easily taken her to the park nearby, or maybe a museum? The girl loves books… I bet she would have preferred a date at the library, then she'd be more than happy to open something other than a book."

Bonnie shot him a look that could kill, "No Damon! That is something _you _would do, so you could get a bite to eat and maybe get laid."

He minutely shook his head, "Not with her-"

He stopped himself from saying more as he looked at the witch with widened eyes.

She smiled at him with a certain glint in her eye, "I know." she murmured.

Bella had a map of Forks laid out on the bed and pointed to the spot that led to the hiking trails.

After promising Bella that they would look for the meadow the next day while she was at school, Bonnie went back to practicing her magic, discovering that the only thing she could really do was light the candle. She banged the desk out of frustration.

Bella had been watching the candle flicker on and off as she did her homework, sitting on her bed, leaning against the headboard. She jumped at the sudden noise and looked around the room.

"Uh guys?!"

Damon quickly went to the keyboard, "Witchy is a bit pissy because she can't do anything but light a candle." He typed.

"Oh Bonnie! That's a start, keep trying! I read in one of Anne Rice's books that their vampires have to focus and imagine whatever gift they are trying to use. Relax and focus. You'll get it!" She then smiled in encouragement.

The witch could not help but smile back at her, even though Bella couldn't see it. She typed a quick thank you and went back to her studies.

"Maybe you need something to fuel you powers…" Damon spoke, as if in thought. I know you have to rely on nature, but maybe you can try to use yourself and what you're feeling. Remember, witches are part of nature and here to keep a balance. Tune yourself into that and add that bit of anger you've got there." He cocked his head to the side as if analyzing something, "Wouldn't hurt to try…"

Bonnie was shocked by his advice. He wasn't bossy, demanding or being snarky. It was not often she had seen the vampire be sincere about anything. Well, anything other than Elena. She pondered on whether some of Bella's compassion was rubbing off on him. Something Elena had tried to change within him time and time again. Though, she had never completely succeeded in her attempts. Yes, he did care about the lives of humans in Mystic Falls. He obviously cared enough to keep the town safe, as well as their friends from whatever element of the supernatural that happened to showed up.

But….he never verbally voiced any friendliness or dispensed advice without sarcasm or a witty remark. She kept her thoughts to herself and bowed her head to hide the small smile that was gracing her face. That was the moment she realized that she now had a friend in Damon.

Damon was standing at the window, watching the icy rain come down. His eyes could make out every drop as it came down, even though it was pouring. His ears didn't miss the pitter patter as they hit the roof. The noise alone was enough to drown out the war taking place in his head. He wanted to get home so very badly, to Elena, to his brother. A bottle of Bourbon and some blood wouldn't be so bad, either. But his heart ached at the thought of leaving the brown-eyed girl on the bed behind him.

For once in his life, he truly understood what Elena had gone through when it came to him and Stefan. He finally realized how difficult it must have been for her to have her heart torn in two. She truly loved his brother, yet always felt an undeniable affection for him. She had been offered a choice and when confronted with that choice, she had been scared of losing them both. She'd chosen Stefan at first, but after she became a vampire, the sire bond awakened feelings deep within her. Feelings she had fought so long to suppress. It was at that time she let go of Stefan and gave herself to him.

It was then he found true happiness, wrapped in her love. She became the light in his darkness, and made him a better person. As always, the happiness was short lived when she flipped the switch. Once she had it back on, they had to deal with an ancient doppelganger, witches, and Katherine.

That bitch played her grandest scheme ever and did a body switch with Elena.

As Elena, she had told him she was a monster and ended things with him. The breakup had shaken him to the very core and he switched it off, showing the world exactly what a monster he was. Once they had Katherine out of Elena's body, there were even more tribulations to deal with as they fought with travelers who wanted to take over Mystic Falls.

Damon had given his own life to protect the town, getting trapped on the other side for his trouble. He remembered watching Elena's tear stained facing begging him not to leave her and even though she couldn't hear him, he promised her he would make it back. He was a man of his word and owed her that. However, he never expected to meet Bella Swan.

Her heartbreak, her inner strength, and the selflessness she exhibited drew him to her. But more than that, he saw something in her that touched his soul. He couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what it was, but he felt it by just being around her.

As time went by and she came out of her shell, her quick wit and penchant for sarcasm made itself known. Bonnie blamed him for that, though he thought it was something that was always there beneath the surface. He just happened to bring it out and he loved that about her.

He felt himself stiffen as the thought played in his head. He inhaled a breath and looked at the girl on the bed. He loved her; not just with his heart, but his very soul. He was torn between two women. One woman he felt that he deserved and owed a promise to. The other one, he was afraid to leave behind and lose.

His chest tightened at the thought and for one brief moment, he wished he had not made that vow to get back to Elena. If he had not, then he would gladly stay in the dreary town. While Elena may have been his light, Bella was much more than that. She touched him in the depths of his soul the way Elena never had. She was like a fire that burned brightly and kept you warm on a cold night. It was a fire he never thought he needed or wanted, but it was there if he chose to take it. Yet, he couldn't.

* * *

_Special thanks to Harley, Ashley &amp; Jodie for their feedback and support. Love you all a long time!_

_Thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to leave a review! Hope you enjoyed this chapter…Let me know what you think!_


	5. Chapter 4: Stop and Smell the Roses

**Just a little reminder that I do not own **_**Twilight**_** or **_**The Vampire Diaries. **_**I hope you enjoy the story! Please leave a comment below and tell me what you think.**

**Bella's POV**

_Damon_…

The name played in her mind far more often than it should. More often than she should allow; for he wasn't hers to be thinking of. She found him to be rude, temperamental, egotistical, and at times his sense of humor was downright indecent with a healthy dose of innuendo thrown in. He was also very clever and quite charming. Bella often had the thought that he could probably outwit the devil himself. Even so, he had his moments where he showed that he could be compassionate and thoughtful. However, those moments were rare. More often than not, he had an unique way of expressing the fact he genuinely cared about anyone or anything.

Sitting at her desk, she thought about how Damon had been the one fixing the Pop-Tarts for her over the last few months and not her father like she first assumed. Her lips twitched as she thought on the day she realized it. It was a typical, depressing, rainy morning when she woke up and spotted the tray sitting on her desk. Bella then lazily stretched and got out of bed, making her way over to it. She wiped the sleep from her eyes while groggily grabbing the glass of juice. She had been chugging the tangy liquid down when her eyes fell upon the Pop-Tart sitting on a plate with its usual smiley face carved into it. Only that time, there were two miniature marshmallows cut into triangles, imitating fangs and some of the strawberry filling had been used to make them appear bloody.

She froze, then promptly choked on her orange juice at the sight, knowing damn well who was responsible. She had hissed out his name in irritation while shooting daggers around the room.

Damon's response was to gently place his fangs along her shoulder, as though he was about to chomp down on her.

Bella recalled how she felt a sudden tingle course through her body. Even so, she was startled and let out a shrill scream, briefly wishing for a moment she could hurt him somehow. She had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the son of a bitch was smirking. An imp like him wouldn't laugh. The thought instantly made her think of the guy she conjured up in her dreams, the one with the inky black hair and the bright blue eyes. He too, would often smirk.

Even displeased by his antics, she couldn't help but think it was his way of showing that he cared. Damon would never voice it, of course. He didn't need to though, because his actions often spoke for him. He always found ways to look out for her; whether it was something simple like tripping Lauren in the hallway, jamming Jessica's locker shut, or saving her life like he did that night at the diner. Whenever she was upset about something, he always made it his business to find out exactly what was wrong and had a certain knack for lifting her spirits.

Surprisingly, he was also good with advice. A month or so after she returned to school, some of the boys in her class figured enough time had passed since her breakup with Edward and begun to pursue her. Mike Newton, in particular, drove her nearly insane by incessantly asking her out. Sometimes it was more than once throughout a day. She couldn't even fathom the idea of dating the guy… he simply wasn't her type. She politely declined each time and she had not known how many more ways she could possibly say, "No."

She spoke of her frustrations to Damon, who merely told her, "The dick needs to know what exactly the word no means, Bella. Go lay down the law and let him have it! Tell him that you'll date whoever you damn well please and it sure as hell won't be another douchebag."

When she first read the words he'd written in her notebook while they sat on the bed in her room, she sighed and told him that it wasn't in her nature to be impolite.

"Fuck it." had been his response. He went on to scrawl, "It doesn't always pay to be nice, trust me."

Evidently, Bonnie was aware of the whole exchange and snatched the notebook to write down her own words of wisdom, "Damon is right… to a point. Don't be a complete bitch, but firmly tell him that you will never go out with him. If he keeps bothering you after that, then by all means, smack him or something."

Bella giggled at the memory just as the bell rang for her next class. The advice worked, for Mike quickly moved on to Jessica. Without her ghostly friends, she probably would have never found the courage or the inclination to tell Mike off. In the past, she would have allowed him to pester her until she finally gave in. She shuddered at the thought of what her life would be like without her two ghostly friends. They made her stronger and Bella knew that they were the balm that soothed her broken heart.

She briskly walked to her locker, fumbled through the combination and her eyes widened in surprise at what she found there, once she opened it. There was a white rose with a sheet of paper underneath it. She gingerly picked up the flower and brought it to her nose, savoring the sweet scent. She noted that there was some writing on the paper in feminine swirls that she instantly recognized to be Bonnie's handwriting. She picked it up and smiled as she read the words, "Stop and smell the roses."

The gesture caused a warmth to spread through Bella's chest. She knew it was a message of support – a way of letting her know that they were there for her. _Stop and smell the roses, _she thought. Maybe it was their way of telling her that life was sweet and to live it – to enjoy it. For the first time in her life, she felt accepted and loved just as she was. It was something she never had before. Bella was not a typical teenager and she always felt that her mother was sorely disappointed with that fact. Her own father rarely took the time to know her as a person. Even though he loved her, she always felt she was nothing more than an obligation to him, or a burden.

It wasn't until Edward Cullen and his family came a long that she felt special. Edward always claimed that she was the most fascinating human he ever met, and more than once told her how beautiful she was. Even though some of her insecurities washed away with his words, she always felt she'd never measure up to his inhuman grace and beauty. He knew this and threw it in her face when he ended things. His words may have shattered her very soul, but she now knew that what he spouted was nothing more than lies. "You're not good enough for me, Bella." echoed in her head.

"No." she murmured under her breath, "You aren't good enough for me." At that moment, she realized the words to be true. He wasn't good enough and never would be.

Bella sighed wistfully as she grabbed her books to stuff in her backpack. She set the rose safely back in her locker and was folding the note when she saw Damon's spiky scrawl on the back the paper, "Now get your ass to class! We'll see you at home."

She tossed her head back and laughed out loud, eliciting stares from passersby. She didn't have a care about them at all as she proceeded to her next class with a spring in her step that hadn't been there before. It was the day she knew for sure that she was getting over Edward and that life would go on. More than that, she was filled with gratitude for having two friends who had been there for her in ways no one else ever had.

* * *

Bella sat tapping her pencil on her desk while she listened to her history teacher drone on and on about some battle that took place during the Civil War. If the truth were to be told, she was utterly bored and anxious to get back home to her ghosts. She let her mind wander as she thought of what they were up to. She knew the two of them had promised her that they would search for the meadow, but she also knew that they had to find a way back home.

She knew how important it was to them to get out of the limbo between the world of the living and the world they were trapped in. Bonnie had a very special guy waiting for her and Damon had Elena. While she wished them the best in their quest, she felt her a tightness in her chest at the thought of them leaving. Maybe she was selfish in the fact that she wanted to keep them there with her. She had grown attached to the both of them. There was a sisterly bond with Bonnie and well… she would be lying if she didn't admit that she had fallen for the sarcastic and cocky Damon Salvatore.

From what she had gathered, Bella thought he deserved far better than someone who professed to love him, yet constantly chastised him for his actions. The girl reminded her of Edward with the way she walked such a holier-than-thou moral plane. On top of that, she tried to change Damon – to make him something he wasn't. That sort of behavior was no different than the way Edward had treated her.

To hear him talk, Elena Gilbert had literally hung the moon and the stars in all her beautiful, unflawed glory. Bella's nose scrunched up as she reflected on their conversations about Miss Perfect. Then she pursed her lips as she remembered Bonnie telling her more about Elena and how hypocritical the girl could be at times. The witch told her that Elena may have never openly admitted it, or perhaps even realized it, but she had toyed with Damon's feelings for her time and time again. That fact did not bode well with Bella little one bit. She felt that he should have someone who loved him unconditionally, without question… someone who could truly understand him and stand by his side. He certainly didn't have that with judgmental, self-absorbed Elena.

She was startled out of her thoughts when the bell rang, signaling the end of class. With a heavy sigh, she rose out of her seat. She stuffed her things into her locker, then headed towards the lunch room. There, she saw the empty table where she had once sat with the Cullens. She pondered briefly what her life would have been like without her two ghosts and her dream Damon. Thinking back to the first month after the family left – a time when she was nothing more than a zombie made her shudder. It was at that moment she realized that both Damon and Bonnie had saved her. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

Her dream Damon, on the other hand – had set her soul free. He made her realize that she was much stronger than Edward Cullen led her to believe. She knew she was unconfident and as she thought on it, she came to the conclusion that the Cold One had played on every single insecurity she ever had. At first, it was to get her attention, then he played them to control her during their relationship. Oh, how he loved to play on her human weaknesses and use them against her to get his way! He cruelly broke her that night in the woods by telling her she wasn't good enough for him, knowing full well what it would do to her. Then he had the audacity to order her not to do anything stupid for Charlie's sake!

The truth behind his lies became startling clear to her as the passing weeks went by. If it not been for her dream Damon, she probably would have never reached the conclusion that Edward played her like a finely tuned violin.

Her beautiful, blue-eyed savior had been the first person to ever truly listen when she spoke to him about herself and her life. Whatever she had been insecure about in the past was washed away. He taught her that Edward wasn't worth a second thought and to move on with her life. He helped her to see how blessed she really was and to value the friendship she had made with her two ghosts. Most importantly, he taught her to value herself. He also instilled the belief that someone could truly love her. For that, she would be eternally thankful…even if he had been just a figment of her imagination.

The day seemed to pass ever so slowly and when the last bell finally rang, Bella made a beeline out to the parking lot. She was anxious to get home and see if her two spirits had found anything about the meadow. She needed closure from Edward and needed the chance to completely heal from the wounds he had left behind.

She hopped into her truck and let it warm up, thinking about Bonnie and Damon. Even though she could not see them, they touched her soul in ways no one else ever had. Bonnie was strong, wise and one of the most empathetic beings she ever met. Most of all, she was a determined soul. Bella knew that the witch would do absolutely anything for a cause she believed in. She admired those traits and wanted to be the strong, confident woman that Bonnie seemed to be.

Humming along to the classic rock that played from the radio, her fingers drummed subconsciously on the steering wheel to the beat of the music. Though, Bella kept her focus on the road before her, minding the icy roads.

The sight of something reflecting the light up ahead caught her eye. For some reason, she was drawn to it. She then slowly drove towards it, and there on the side of the road were two very old motorbikes next to a trash bin. She bit her lip in thought as she pulled over and parked the truck. She opened the door, then took a tentative step on the slick, icy road. She held onto the truck, easing her way around to the front towards the bikes. She smiled at the sight, pondering what it would cost to fix them up.

She took careful steps towards them before stooping down to get a better look at them. The metal was rusting, the wheels were cracked and the kickstand on one of them was absent. _Junk_, she thought. That was probably the most normal observation she had ever made in her life… but she wasn't normal and unlike most people, she saw the potential beauty in everything.

Bella glanced over to her truck, remembering how her childhood friend, Jacob, had been the one to repair it and take care of it before his father sold it to Charlie. On a whim, she decided that she wanted the bikes. She looked upon the property line, eyeing the depleted old house ahead with trepidation. She walked at a snail's pace to the front door. Just as she was about to knock, the door flew open. She gasped as she took in the sight of a burly older man with dark hair standing there with his arms crossed.

She had been taken aback by his gruff demeanor at first, but when she asked about the bikes, she won him over with a smile. By the end of their little chat, they were almost like old friends. He had given her the bikes free of charge and even loaded them onto the truck.

She smirked as she drove over to La Push and by the time she pulled up to a familiar red house, she was nearly bouncing in her seat. She cautiously got out of the truck, yelling out her friend's name.

He bounded out of the house, running to her with a grin on his face. "Bells! What are you doing here?" He then hugged her tightly, spinning her around.

Once he set her down, she excitedly told him about finding the bikes. Jacob gazed at the bikes in thought for a minute or two before proclaiming that she shouldn't even be thinking of riding a bike, frankly commenting that she was entirely too clumsy – that she'd only get herself killed. Bella's excitement plummeted as chagrin set in. She then glared at the boy while he easily lifted the first bike out of the truck.

Jacob didn't miss the look and knew that he had angered her. Wanting to appease her, he stated that he'd fix the bikes on the condition that he'd be able to keep one of them. He also told her he'd teach her to ride… once they were ready. She hastily agreed to his conditions while offering a smile. Satisfied that he had made things right, his expression grew smug as he turned to unload the second bike from the truck.

That quickly changed when the bike suddenly seemed heavier than he thought it was. He grimaced, struggling to lift the bike and just as he was about to set it down, it slipped out of his hands and landed on the ground with a loud thud. The back wheel landed on his foot, causing him to yelp out in pain. He fell to the ground, clutching his injured limb. His face then reddened while his lips pursed out.

Jacob's whole expression reminded Bella of a cartoon character with his cheeks puffed out, blowing out a breath. She couldn't help but burst into laughter at the sight. Her amusement instantly changed into horror when the other bike unexpectedly toppled over, landing right on top of him. Alarm for her friend briefly filled her, but when the handle bar swung around and bopped against his head, her eyes darted around suspiciously. She then sensed a presence that she knew all too well.

"Damon Salvatore." she uttered in barely a whisper.

Jacob cocked his head to the side questionably as he peered up at her, "Did you say something?"

Before she had a chance to respond, the handle bars of the bike twisted around once more and collided with his nose. She knew for certain then that it was her favorite vampire ghost playing tricks on the poor boy in front of her. Bella glanced over to her friend, wondering why he did not seem to be too seriously injured. She brushed the thought off and stepped closer to him. She was not pleased with Damon's antics and it shone on her face.

She made several attempts to lift the bike. When that didn't work, she tried pushing it off Jacob, but the damn thing wouldn't budge. Finally, she braced herself, using all the strength she had in a vain attempt to raise the bike. She was positively seething and frustrated by that point. Her tiny hands balled into fists as she stood there. Her eyes then narrowed into slits as she spoke to her ghost.

"You _are_ going to help me get this bike up and if you don't…I _will_ find a way to hurt you!" she hissed threateningly.

She felt something brush against her while Jacob looked over at her with squinted eyes, "Bella?"

"Stay still! Let me grab the bike…"

When she reached for the bike again, it somehow seemed light as a feather and she lifted it easily. She could feel Damon maneuvering the bike as she pretended to steady it. Together, they propped it up against the house. His little stunt had annoyed her, but she was appreciative of the fact he helped her.

"Thank you." she said in a barely audible whisper. Damon responded by giving her an affectionate squeeze on her shoulder. A familiar tingle travelled down her arm and her breath hitched.

She stood stock still, the sensation overwhelming her. It wasn't until Jacob called out to her that she snapped out of it. She rushed to the boy's side, checking him over.

"Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Sure, sure." he said with obvious embarrassment. "Just a couple of bruises and scratches here and there…"

Warmth filled his eyes as he looked at her, "Besides, my favorite girl is here with me."

"Are you _flirting_ with me?" she asked incredulously.

"Naw!" he answered back teasingly with a grin.

"Jacob." she spoke in a warning tone. "Do _not_ go there."

"You still have the hots for Cullen?" he asked with a look of disgust.

She regarded him carefully while thoughts of Damon entered her mind. With a wan smile, she answered him, "No. Not anymore."

"Well, that means you're a free agent, Bells!"

"I'm not dating anyone for a while…" she stated bluntly.

"You'll change your mind." he said confidently.

"Don't bet on it, Jacob." She met his gaze, allowing him to see the truth of her statement.

He stood up and faced her, "Why?!"

She blinked at the question, dumfounded for a moment before reaching the conclusion that she didn't need to reveal that she had already fallen in love with another and she wasn't about to explain the situation to a boy that would never understand it. It was _none _of his business. Besides, he just wouldn't get it; and from what she had witnessed that afternoon, it seemed that he had developed some sort of crush on her. Telling him the truth would make things far too complicated. She wanted those bikes fixed, so she reasoned that it just wouldn't do to piss him off.

She decided to be somewhat truthful with him as she quickly clarified that she wanted time for herself to concentrate on school. He had scoffed at the reply, then rolled his eyes before inviting her into his home.

They guzzled sodas as they sat chatting in the tiny living room. Bella made herself comfortable on the sofa, while Jake's tall form squeezed into the recliner opposite her. The conversation was stilted, at first. Then it quickly picked up once they started making plans to fix the bikes.

An hour later, the two of them could be found laughing as they reminisced about their childhood. They recalled how they had made mud pies and dug for worms during the many fishing trips their fathers took them on. It made her feel nostalgic for the simpler times when the world seemed so innocent – a time when she was completely unaware that vampires and other supernatural beings existed.

Bella felt her shyness melt away in the younger boy's presence. A feat that had only been accomplished around her dream Damon and her two ghosts. She looked around the room briefly, noting that she didn't sense the manifestation of her favorite spirit. She found it strange that she always felt a certain emptiness when he wasn't near.

When Edward first left, she had felt an endless void in her heart. A void that came to be filled by her favorite vampire ghost. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a warmth fill her very soul whenever he was close by. It was a connection she had never felt with anyone before. A smile played on her lips as she thought about it. She then sighed wistfully, knowing that her feelings were most likely one-sided. She was saddened by the notion and bowed her head, hiding her face from the young boy sitting across from her.

All of a sudden, she felt the couch dip. A warm hand then ran alongside her back. She stiffened at the gesture and turned her head to Jacob.

"Please don't do that." she requested quietly.

He sighed and flopped back on the couch with irritation. "So, what's the issue with a friend comforting another friend, huh?" he asked with a bite to his voice.

"I didn't _need_ comforting." she replied brusquely.

"Your face says otherwise." he snapped at her.

She wearily blew out a breath, "I miss him." she muttered.

"He's not worth your missing him!" he said with a low growl.

Bella's eyes widened in shock, taking in the fact that she'd spoken her thoughts out loud. She carelessly declared, "I didn't mean Edward…"

Jacob eyed her, puckering his brow, "Well then, _who_ are you missing?"

"Uh…n-no one," she stuttered out nervously.

"Sure, sure." he uttered, not believing her. He jerked his thumb towards the kitchen, "You wanna stay for dinner? Charlie is probably working late."

She was grateful for the abrupt change of topic and smiled. "Are _you_ cooking the dinner, Jacob Black?" she teased.

He chuckled, "Naw, I was kinda hoping you would."

All of a sudden, the front door was opened and three young men strutted in. Their eyes landed on Jacob and Bella sitting on the couch. She took in their appearance as each of them looked over to her. There was spite brewing in their eyes as they did so. She bristled in her seat and something told her she needed to get out of there – fast.

"Sam, Paul, Jared." Jacob addressed them with a curt nod. "You know Bella, right?"

The three of them said not a word as they all stood up straight with their arms crossed. She noted how they all wore dirty cut-off shorts with no shirts. They also had matching tattoos and cropped haircuts. She wandered if it was a rite of passage for the tribe or some kind of gang-related thing. She snorted at the thought. _Yeah, a gang in Forks. That's a laugh._

"Bells was about to make dinner." Jacob announced gleefully.

A silence filled the room just as a gust of air swirled about. The newspaper on the coffee table fell to the floor and the wind chimes hanging by the door gave off an eerie sound as they jingled about relentlessly. Bella could feel the hairs on her neck stand up while a chill went through her.

She glanced over to the three newcomers, taking in their stiffened postures. Their eyes darted around the room furiously. The tallest one stared at her with an incensed look upon his face, as if she was the one causing it. An ominous feeling washed over her instantly. Even so, she met his eyes and shot him a glare. She was not about to be intimidated.

The lights then flickered on and off. Suddenly, she felt that familiar warmth in her chest and knew Damon was nearby. Any iota of fear that she may have had instantly melted away. A tense silence hung thickly in air, broken by the sound of a buzz as the power went out.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jacob ground out.

"I dunno…" one of the guys spat in reply.

Bella broke her gaze with the one who still had his eyes on her when she felt a nudge in her back. The tingle that came along with it told her that it was Damon.

The room was still when the candle on the coffee table sparked. While the males jumped back in fright, Bella simply smiled. The candle alighted, causing a nervous giggle to escape her lips.

Everyone turned to look at her disbelievingly.

"Bells, do you find something funny?" Jacob barked out.

She shrugged, "I need to go…"

"But-" he whined.

She promptly cut him off, "I'll be back later."

He reached out for her, but Bella brushed him off. "I _said_ I have to go. Okay?!"

"Where you gotta go, Little Girl?" one of the other guys snarled at her.

"Anywhere but here…" she retorted snarkishly.

She then felt another nudge in her back. She could feel a sense of urgency about it while she moved forward, stepping around Paul, Jared and Sam.

When she got to the truck, she found that it was already running as she climbed in. She stepped on the gas and drove to her house, bewildered.

The drive was quiet, allowing her mind to wander. _Why had her two ghosts ushered her out of there so quickly? What was it about the three young men that made her hairs stand on end?_

She knew that Damon and Bonnie wouldn't have spooked them unless they knew something was amiss. The vampire had an extremely protective nature for those he cared about. He already proved that a few times before.

She thought back to when he had tripped Lauren to defend her honor. She smiled faintly at the thought. She sighed as she remembered when she hit a patch of black ice on the way to school one morning…the truck had spun out of control on the road. She recalled how she screeched, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Somehow or another, Damon stopped the truck and she found herself pulled over to the side of the street. The door then quickly flung open, the bitter cold washing over her tear-stained face. She recollected the electricity that flowed through her while he rubbed her back, comforting her the best he could.

She knew without a doubt that she'd never been more grateful for anyone in her life. Sure, once upon a time, she had been thankful for the presence of Edward and his family. They must have cared for her on some level. Otherwise, they would have not ever accepted her into their world. But with them, she always felt inadequate and undeserving of their affection. Thinking on it, she realized their love came at a price. They wanted her to adhere to their pristine, designer label appearance. They wanted her to adopt their ideals of what was wrong and what was right in the world. They believed human drinking vampires were all bad, and that vampires in general were all monsters. Edward himself believed that vampires had no soul. Yet, she had a vampire ghost who proved all their assumptions wrong.

Ever since she was introduced to the supernatural world, she held the belief that vampires had a soul. While she respected the Cullens for being 'vegetarian' vampires by feeding off animals, she always felt that they were hiding who they really are. They lived a human existence – something that was nearly impossible and ridiculed in their world. They thought themselves far superior to the human drinking vampires because they lived by human standards.

While she may have had a bad experience with a tracker that hunted her down, she could never find it in her heart to judge vampires by the diet that they kept. Edward's brother Jasper was a human drinker in the past, before he met up with the Cullens. Yet, he was so caring, so gentle, that she would never judge him for it.

Bella briefly wondered if the high moral plane in which the family placed themselves was partially to blame for the incident that took place on her birthday. If their father figure, Carlisle, had simply allowed Jasper to follow the diet to which he was accustomed, maybe he wouldn't have felt that desperate thirst for her blood when she cut her finger. Maybe if they _all_ followed their natural diet, she wouldn't have been faced with six ravenous vampires and an empath that felt their impulse to drain her dry. She knew with certainty that feeling their bloodlust, along with his own was much too much for him, so his instincts took over, causing him to lunge for her.

She knew they had chastised him for his actions, and that they were ashamed by what happened. She was never one to hold grudges, so she'd forgiven Jasper instantly. What she would never forgive, however was the fact that they all cruelly abandoned her, using the episode as an excuse to remove themselves from her life. Edward had even told her point blank that he was tired of living a lie – that he would never be human. She felt pity for him at the time, knowing how he hated what he was. But as she reflected back on it, she held no sympathy for him. It was the life he _chose_ to live. He just never accepted what he was, and that was no one's fault but his own. She started to feel a growing resentment towards him – because instead of taking responsibility for his part in what happened, he blamed it on her and the fact he wasn't human.

She offered him her love, her soul and her very life for the taking. She fought for him the night he ended things, whereas he simply gave up. She held the thought that love is worth fighting for, and if Edward did love her, he would have fought for her… he wouldn't have ran away like a coward.

She knew Damon had the same point of view she did. After all, he had risked his very existence time and time again to save Elena. He was no longer a part of the living world, yet he fought to get back to her, even if the odds seemed impossible. While she was envious of Elena and the fact she held Damon's heart; she couldn't help but admire the fact his persistence, for he _never_ gave up. She smiled as the thought filled her head. Damon Salvatore was no coward, that's for sure. She hoped Elena knew how lucky she was to have his love. It was something real, unlike what she had with Edward.

* * *

Bella pulled into the driveway of her house, switched off the ignition, then made her way inside. Once she was in her bedroom, she clicked on the computer, then flopped on the bed.

Tension hung heavy in the room as they waited on the computer. She took off her sneakers and tossed them onto the floor with a heavy sigh. The past and the thoughts of Damon that had weighed heavily in her mind vanished, being replaced with theories on what could have possibly caused her two ghosts to behave as they did.

"Does anyone want to tell me what exactly is going on?"

A book was then gently placed in her lap. It was a book she had purchased months ago in Port Angeles about Quileute legends. The pages rapidly turned until they opened up to a chapter on werewolves. She was perplexed as she quickly read through it. Her heart thumped loudly, recalling a conversation she once had with her younger friend.

At the time, she had been seeking information on the Cullens. With a little bit of flirting, she had cajoled a story from Jacob about Cold Ones and men who turned into wolves to protect the tribe. A story she believed to be nothing more than a fable – even if legends of the Cold Ones, who were thought to be vampires, had turned out to be true. However, she never actually believed that it was possible for werewolves to exist. That is, until she met Bonnie and Damon.

They had told her all about werewolves. They even had a friend named Tyler that was a hybrid of the werewolf-vampire variety. She shuddered at the thought of their archenemy, Klaus. He too, a hybrid – a very dangerous one at that. She sucked in a breath before speaking.

"Are you two trying to tell me that the guys on the reservation are werewolves?" she asked nervously.

A sheet of paper was placed before her a moment later. "No" read the swirly script.

The computer screen glowed as it came to life. Microsoft Word was quickly pulled up and it seemed instantaneous when the words appeared on the screen. Bella blinked rapidly, sitting in stunned silence as she read the words.

**You might want to go buy a flea collar or two.**

She eventually found her voice, "What do you mean?"

**It means I don't want you to get fleas. **

She shook her head at Damon's sarcasm, keeping her eyes locked on the screen. "So, the stories are true? The boys turn into werewolves?"

**No, they are shapeshifters. Werewolves only turn during a full moon. These guys were out in the fucking sun when they all turned into giant wolves and ran off. We saw them up close and personal. Sweetheart, it wasn't pretty.**

She stared at the screen in fear. She then tugged frightfully on her comforter, chewing on her bottom lip. A few moments passed before she worked up the courage to ask if the wolves would hurt her. She felt the bed dip and the warmth that encircled her hand told her it was Bonnie. She smiled wanly as she happened to glance up at the computer screen.

**NOT ON MY WATCH.**

The words sat there on the monitor and she couldn't take her eyes off of them. She felt pressure on her hand as the witch squeezed it. It was comforting and reassuring, but most of all she felt safe.

The afternoon passed by quickly while the two of them recounted how they came across the shifters during their search for the meadow. Bonnie and Damon had overheard three young men chatting about catching the scent of 'leeches.' Intrigued, the both of them eavesdropped and learned that a Cold One was in town.

It wasn't long after that the wind shifted and the stale, sweet aroma of a Cold One wafted through the air. The men immediately shifted into horse-sized wolves, bounding into the forest.

Unfazed, Damon followed suit, easily keeping up with them, but Bonnie fell behind. He explained that from what he gathered, it was a scent that was a couple days old, leading straight to the Cullen mansion. The trail ended there and the wolves gave the place a hasty once-over before heading back into the woods. Bella's interest piqued when she heard that bit of the story. She sat straight up watching the words fly onto the computer screen. She then took in a sharp breath when the words came to a halt.

"Damon?" she questioned.

**Don't worry your pretty little head off. There weren't any disco balls around. It's probably somebody passing through… Fido, Goofy, and Scooby-Doo just wanted to prove how bad-ass they are. Which they aren't, FYI. **

She glowered at the computer chair, guessing he was sitting in it. "F.Y.I? Really?! Do you know how _stupid_ that sounds coming from a guy as old as you?"

**May I remind you I'm the one doing the typing? I'd be nice to me if you want the rest of the story**.

She sighed heavily and muttered under her breath, "You're such an ass."

**I know…**

She tossed a book at the chair out of frustration.

**Was that supposed to hurt? **

The desk chair then scooted across the room while the keyboard fell to the floor. "What the hell?" Bella shrieked.

A piece of paper was handed to her, "I gave him an aneurysm." Bella grinned when a smiley face was drawn onto the paper.

"Serves him right. I hope it hurts!"

She then felt a tingle along her ankle and was unceremoniously yanked to the floor, landing on her rear end. Seconds later, the chair was back in its original spot and the keyboard was placed upon the desk.

**SERVES YOU RIGHT!**

She gaped at the screen with a huff. But when a huge smiley face popped up, she burst out laughing.

"You're such a dick." she uttered in a chiding tone.

She then pushed herself up off the floor and sat on the bed. She wrung her hands, thinking of the topic at hand. "Are you sure they're not here?"

**Positive. The scent is old and the house is empty.**

Bella was glad for that because she honestly never wanted to see Edward again. "So you're thinking that this is another nomad passing through?"

**Probably.**

"Do you think the wolves will do anything about it?"

He replied that they would probably wait and see what the Cold One did. He let his opinion known he considered them foolish by not investigating things further. Then again, the only Cold Ones they were familiar with were the complacent animal drinkers that the Cullens were.

From his point of view, what the wolf pack failed to realize is that human-drinking Cold Ones were much stronger and faster. Their bloodlust was ten times stronger than that of a traditional vampire like himself. By the cocky remarks they overheard, he garnered the wolves were arrogant in making the assumption that all Cold Ones were the weaker species and there would be no issues if a confrontation was to take place. As protectors of their tribe and the people of Forks, it was a stupid notion that could cost lives.

Bella read what he typed out with rapt attention. That fact that the strange nomad's scent clung around the Cullen mansion made her nervous as it become glaringly clear to her that the Cold One was most likely looking for Edward and his family. She was a known associate of theirs and wondered how long it'd be before the nomad came looking for her. Making her even more frightened was the fact that she didn't even know who the Cold One was. The fear felt heavy in her chest as she not only worried for herself, but her father.

She remembered her attack vividly, and how the tracker that hunted her down had been especially vicious. It was not a memory she could ever forget. She fretted about the tribe and how they looked upon her with such hate and fury. She knew with certainty there was a snowball's chance in hell that they'd protect _her_.

Her mind swirled with question after question while she sat silently on the bed. _Was Jacob a shifter, too? Could Bonnie and Damon protect her? What did the Cold One want? _

**Don't worry so much! We got this! You stay away from the puppies and we hold off going to the meadow for a few days. Keep your ass home and you'll be fine. **

The words on the monitor caught her attention like a beacon in the night and once again, she felt safe. She then nodded in acquiescence with a sigh. If truth be told, Bella was disappointed. She had a deep-seated _need_ to see the meadow – a physical reminder of Edward to say goodbye to. It would be the one thing that could make her feel completely free of the ties she had to the inhuman boy and the family she once loved. Only then would she be able to let go of the past that haunted her. Even though she was afraid of what the future may bring, she was ready to face it.

It was soon dinnertime and she found herself seated at the kitchen table with a plate of pancakes before her. They were elaborately decorated with fruit and whipped cream to mimic a vampire's face. She knew damn well it was Damon's doing, for she could literally feel the mischief coming from him. She hid her smile and proceeded to eat them.

She reveled in the contentment she felt, setting aside the fears of a Cold One being in town, along with the newfound information that the boys at La Push turned into wolves. She even pushed away the thought that Bonnie and Damon would eventually leave her. She decided then and there that she would always stop and smell the roses, to live in the moment. She would take life as it comes – the good, the bad, the ugly and not ever take it for granted. Because living was worth it and more importantly, _she_ was worth it.


End file.
